The so called "Member Recognition Event"

[AnnieH]

Al

If it is any consolation (and I doubt it will be) I got invited as a 14 year member but decided to "boycott" on the basis that I have actually been a member for 15 years but the club for some reason has my start date as 1997. (And yes, it does matter, since being a member right from the start of 1996 means I am officially not a bandwagoner!)

(Actually, more of the reason I didn't really give any thought to attending is that I would prefer to be sitting watching the reserves game.)

The only reason that I bought a membership in 1997 was that a) it was $45.00 for eight home games; and b) I couldn't get a decent seat at games anymore because of the bandwagoners. There are lots of us out there who attended a lot of games before becoming members.

[Triple B]

I'm the opposite, I was a member thru the dark early 90's, but didn't renew after 1996 because after a 13 year wait my SCG membership came thru. I just wasn't in the financial position to maintain both memberships which principly let me do the same things, sit in the same seats etc, because I didn't attend much cricket.

After losing a few years off my life worrying I was going to miss out on GF tickets in 2005/06, I vowed never to put myself thru it again and rejoined the fold in 2007 and let my SCG membership lapse. Of course we haven't gone close to making me worry about GF tix since, but that's life...lol

[Go Swannies]

Bird's not that great a player yet!!

Thanks for nothing Scott. I go out to lunch, come back and catch up on RWO over a dead chicken and saw that Ugg thought I was taking him at face value and adding a numerological slant. I've got the perfect riposte, I thought, I'll say how commemorating Bird's career is worthwhile then I see you've stolen my punchline.

Now I'm stuck. Um

CTS says "This whole recognition program sounds like a fiasco."

Well, with due respect to Al and his mate and Liz's seniority, not really. If RWO can be regarded as the Swan's complaining class, then so far there has been very few complaints. My understanding is that it's the initiative of a single Swans' employee and it should be regarded as a good thing to attempt rather than dismiss it out of hand. My old school only has reunions every decade (though considering speeding that up as age catches up and fewer attend!) and I've yet to hear a complaint. Maybe the club should have waited a few years to make it a round number?

On the event itself, can I seek advice on whether I should take Nicky D some top-up KPC? Though I hear he's looking like a plump pullet himself these days (thanks ORB).

Lunch over (and it wasn't KFC though if I'd got that I might have been able to kill two birds with one stone - or several excess stones).

[Captain]

I have followed the Swans for 24 years and have been a member for the majority of this time. I have also spent thousands of dollars travelling around the country to watch them play.

I have done this for the love of the club, to support the club and for my own enjoyment. Certainly not for recognition.

To tear up your membership over a 'free' function invite is a gross over-reaction and a tad immature.

[jono2707]

I have followed the Swans for 24 years and have been a member for the majority of this time. I have also spent thousands of dollars travelling around the country to watch them play.

I have done this for the love of the club, to support the club and for my own enjoyment. Certainly not for recognition.

To tear up your membership over a 'free' function invite is a gross over-reaction and a tad immature.

What he/she said....

[aardvark]

Great to have you back BIG AL... i took your advice and went jogging,its works i've lost 5 kgs....sorry back to the topic....

[laughingnome]

All this angst seems (in part) to stem from the fact that people who joined leter then one got invited. Well, boo-hoo. It's a great idea and the club has to start somewhere. Over time this function would reward you for being a 5/6 year continueing member. As Larissa points out, the plan is to have all 5, 10, 14, 20, 25, etc year members invited in any given year. Seems to me that it's a great idea to reward support, even though they are not obliged to do so. This is coming from a member who joined in 1994 and has a 4-digit membership number.

So you don't get invited this year, so what? You'll get an invite next year, or the year after. Yes there has been a hiccup with this one, but that's only natural - it's the first one. It's hardly worth crying over. And I won't even quote what Captain said in post #27, even though I agree whole-heartedly.

[royboy42]

Surely this is a bit of a storm in a teacup..it seems reasonable that they can't find a venue for thousands..they have attached emotional meaning to 14 as they explained in the letter. As larissa said, next year and following years will recognise different joiniing years. They had to start somewhere!
I ,for one, am grateful for any mercies. 40 years following the Roys brought me lots of tears, no premierships (not even a GF), and not too many recognition parties that didnt include officials begging for donations.

[CJK]

You missed the point. If they put in recognition programs and then exclude members of long standing from such programs especially over those who have been members for a lot less years then I deem this to be unfair.

Life is unfair. FYI.

[AnnieH]

Where'd ya go Big Al and why did you delete everything??????

We need to talk sonny.

[goswannie14]

Where'd ya go Big Al and why did you delete everything??????

We need to talk sonny.

I was thinking the same thing Annie. Might have to try him on Myface.

[Matt79]

It has been interesting to read both sides of the arguement today. Whilst Big Al I can appreciate what you saying I suspect the Club with all its good intentions was not going to be able to please everyone.

As a club and recognising members they have to start somewhere. In this case it is 14, 20 and 25+ years or something to that extent. So yes whilst 15 year members may have to wait I would have thought the joy of supporting a club who on and off the field does us proud week in and week out would be more than enough 'recogniton'.

I am also in the same boat as Liz, I have been a member since as long as I can remember and yet my membership is only labelled since '1997'. This is certainly incorrect but why get myself worked up over it?

Also like Captain, I travel the country spending $1000s a season on top of my membership to support the club interstate. Obviously I do not get or expect any recognition. I simply love supporting my team. All I ask is for 100% effort and committment each week.

Try not to be too hard Big Al and understand the good intentions the club has in recognising its members.

Cheers,
Matt

[Damien]

I must admit I am on your side Big Al, while I think the' tear up the membership' reaction is a bit over the top, I don't really rate the way the club has decided recognise members.

I joined in 1994 as a 16 year old (my card says 1995, but what can ya do!) I personally don't give two hoots about recognition functions, but I do find it very very hard to believe that 1997 members would be recognised in a special way, what makes me laugh is that they have managed to hide under the guise of the legendary Skilton/Kelly number when it's a simple retention exercise on the group of members that joined after the 96 season - the biggest intake of members we ever had (along with the biggest attrition rate). If the club really wanted to reward loyalty, they would only recognise particular milestones (20, 25 etc etc).

Like I said, personally don't care, but I find it a funny exercise to undertake. Maybe they can recognise via Pebble's number as well, the loyalty of the "reborn" Swans members of 2006.

[CureTheSane]

I never tore up my membership.
I simply didn't renew it one year.
Don't really know why anyone would want to go to this sort of thing anyway....

[DST]

This whole recognition program sounds like a fiasco.
Would have been better to rent out Rod Laver arena or somnething and have the team put on a 'Footy Show finale' type show for all members with 10 years or more....

That is just plain unrealistic.

That would cost a bomb and only divert money from the area where it should be spent, in the football department to improve the team.

You need to draw the line somewhere when it comes to a recognition program from scratch and good on the club for having a go and introducing something like this.

If you remain a member you will be invited to a function at some point.

DST